What the FAQ? | Lunches | Alpine Lunch Wraps
How much lunch food do I need?
Climbing mountains puts considerable stress on your body. All of the travel to get to the mountain doesn’t help either. Additionally, the big week of work you put in to get the time off was stressful, we get that, So!
Why would you want to add another level of stress to the system by doing a 180 with your diet? You wouldn’t, right?! Diet and what people eat is so deeply individual. Regardless, we can still give you some guidelines to help lead your lunch choices for you'r upcoming program by answering this common “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQ’s)
Q:What do you eat for lunch?
A: It depends ;)
Generally, food that is very close to what we eat in a normal week at home, fruits (*dried for climbs), veggies, nuts, grains and the perfect amount of sugar, never to much, no no, that would be bad :) . Eating whole foods is ideal, but the reality is that isn’t going to work during these extended largely unrefrigerated trips. So, what does that all mean!?
No more than 1 lbs of Lunch food per person/per day
Bars and Gels that you normally eat, or typically don’t bother your digestion
*Dietary needs depending, cheese, jerky, dried fruit, and pre-made trail mix bags from Trader Joes are a Staple of the Guide Staff
Pre - Making wraps with a tortilla can keep lunch more interesting and include more “fresh” ingredients, you also want food to be “portable” hand held and easy to eat on the go.
Q:When do we get to eat Lunch?
A: Lunch Starts after breakfast and ends before dinner
On our programs, many of them have a significant climbing component and a schedule determined by the conditions, group and goals. We make an effort to afford the time to stop and eat a dedicated lunch. If we do this, they are rarely longer than 30 minutes, so, keeping things handy is key and organized is critical.
At the start of each day, preload some sugar-y (gel, dried fruit) , slat-y (bar, nuts) and fatt-y (cheese) foods in your pockets or hip belt of your pack (*accessibility is key). This way on short breaks, food is right there ready to go. Keep the rest of your lunch for the day in the lid of your pack. This way you can re-supply your pockets at longer breaks and transitions.
The less time you spend rummaging through your bag, the more time your body has to take in that tasty goodness you made before the trip.
Q: Where do I pack my Lunch?
A: Organize food by day
Keep 1 days worth of lunch accessible, keep the rest low in your bag
If strategy is key to climbing a mountain, than strategy is key for eating while climbing a mountain too. At the end of each day, organize your lunch for the following day, load you some snacks in your pockets and get your wrap in the lid of your bag.
Steffan Gregory
AMGA Assistant Alpine Guide
AMGA Certified Rock Guide
AMGA Apprentice Split-Board Guide